Rubble Master plans North American expansion

First published at CONEXPO-CON/AGG - March 13, 2020

Rubble Master’s president Gerald Hanisch

Crushing and screening equipment specialist Rubble Master is looking to strengthen its position in North America with the appointment of a general manager for the region, Jackson Macadam, and the establishment of a hub there. The company now has a parts depot in Memphis, Tennessee, and is growing its North American team.

“We formed a platform here over the past 20 years, establishing our brand and becoming one of the players in the industry,” said Rubble Master president Gerald Hanisch. “We see much better potential in the US. With the addition of screens, we can really show the industry that we are there.”

Rubble Master acquired Northern-Ireland screen manufacturer Maximus in 2018, with the intent of growing in the US and Canada. “We are now a full-service provider,” said Jackson, who joined Rubble Master in September 2019 from an international career with Caterpillar, adding: “We have got a lot of work to do.”

Since acquiring Maximus, which is based in Dungannon in Northern Ireland, Rubble Master has changed the production team completely, bringing in a new production manager from Rolls-Royce aero-derivative engines.

“When Rubble Master took on Maximus, they changed the ethos, the quality of the equipment,” said MacAdam. “The vision is to become a centre of excellence for screens, as Austria is a centre of excellence for crushing.”

One of the first companies to buy a Rubble Master machine 20 years ago, which then went on to become Rubble Master’s first dealer, was Elms Equipment Rental, based in Brawley, California. “They are constantly developing new products and improving the machines,” said Alan D Huber, president of Elms Equipment, of Rubble Master. “The fit and finish of the machine is the best in the world.”

As recycling and the circular economy moves up the agenda in several US states, the market is growing, said Huber, although there are still barriers to overcome. “California likes to think that it’s at the leading edge with recycling, but there has been a lot of resistance, even here, around acceptance of the material and also where you can use the machines.”

Stand S5643